Religion and Pantheon
The Faith of the AllFather is dominant within the Kingdom, and the Church itself has power and influence to rival most political entities. Temples and churches to Aurin the AllFather are present in all population centers and are concentrated where cities are the largest. The rituals and practices of the Faith are formal and, to a degree, rigid: though the services performed by a country cleric in a rustic church lack the pomp and circumstance of the Cathedral, a devotee of the Faith would be familiar with each of the ritual’s steps and responses. Though worship and devotion to Aurin is central to the Faith, the myths and practices also include within the Pantheon as lesser deities the AllFather’s children: graceful Elloren, Lady of the silver lamp; fierce Kior, the blade of the storm; and elusive Ferris, of the spinning coin. Most clerics and priests are dedicated to Aurin (close to 80%), though clerics of Elloren are well-represented in the Order of the Silver Dawn, a Sect within the Faith that concerns itself with healing and matters of purity and integrity of the church. Clerics and Paladins of Kior are generally relegated to the Order of the Blade, which represents the church’s military arm. Clerics of Ferris are quite uncommon and rarely rise to positions of influence within the Faith. All of the Faith’s clergy and lay members are subject to many internal rules and laws, and advancement in power – both temporal and spiritual – is closely guarded, and requires strict adherence to the beliefs and values of the AllFather. The Faith has weekly ceremonies for the faithful and in large cities you can watch as the streets get quieter and empty out at midday when the sun is brightest and the congregations gather in the cool stone sanctuaries of Aurin’s temples. The AllFather is the center point of the liturgy, though there are yearly festivals to celebrate Kior and Elloren as well. Ferris is not often included in formal ceremonies though he is often invoked by thieves, merchants, gamblers, and scholars alike when favor is desired. In towns and cities, the Faith is omnipresent and even those who do not consider themselves spiritual generally participate in the public festivals and rituals. In smaller villages and places closer to the unruly edges of civilization, there is a tacit understanding that the Old Ways also have power, and it is not uncommon to know a wise woman who can make some sort of potion or a boy who can talk to livestock: such things are accepted but often not publicized, lest it draw the attention of the Order of the Silver Dawn who root out fiercely any hint of Fey or Fiendish taint. Actual druids tend to be solitary and deeply connected to their protected lands, and as such pose no organized challenge to the Faith, and the Church of the AllFather is quick to take action if a particular druid seems to be gathering too much of a following. Though for some the Faith seems a bit controlling and omnipresent, the charity of the church and the generosity with which it shares its healing and helpful magics with the common folk of Errien mean that most citizens regard it tolerantly and give lip service to the rites and rituals. Church temples, schools, and hospitals employ lay people of all sorts and the Faith is also a significant investor in many financial ventures.